Each network to pay $225 million to carry five Thursday games, along with NFL Network

The National Football League is taking a divide-and-conquer approach to its television rights.

After two years of CBS having exclusive broadcast rights to Thursday night football, the league is splitting the package with CBS and NBC for the next two seasons, a move that will increase annual rights fees to $450 million from $300 million per season. Each network is paying $225 million, people familiar with the matter said.

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